Scientists create robot which can build its own tools

It sounds like a bad sci-fi film: A group of scientists build an robot intelligent robot, give it the ability to build its own tools, and arm it with a gun.

Thankfully, while the first part is true, the gun on this occasion is just a glue gun.

Still, the reality of a tool-building robot is a scary enough thought, with the team from the science and technology university ETH Zurich building a robot which can built its own tools to carry out its missions.

In the video below, the un-named robot uses the glue gun to build itself a cup, which it then glues on to itself to transport water from one dish to another.

The implications are exciting - or terrifying, depending on which side of the line you fall.



To the future: The robot's workspace, from which it can design tools such as cups for carrying water



Building away: Over half an hour, the robot builds up a cup out of glue





Building a bar: The robot then creates a handle which it can use to carry the cup of water

One of the key signs of intelligence is tool-building - and thanks to the team, robots can now join that small group of 'smart' beings.

Thankfully, this robot is still following carefully-prepared instructions on what to build, so this is not an example of a free-thinking robot.

But the achievements of this robot are remarkable, leading to a point where robots will be given tasks and have the ability to design the tools they need to accomplish them.

The robot uses the tool to build items one layer at a time, similar to how a 3D printer works.

Eventually such robots will likely have an array of tools and blueprints for many different items they could build. For the moment the ETH Zurich team have equipped their robot just with a glue-gun.



The cup is dry, so the robot can now being water duties



Water boy: The robot has now attached the cup to itself and is carrying water to the gravel on the left



Rise of the machines: Mission complete, as the robot succeeds in filling up the gravel pot

As explained by Spectrum, the robot using the glue - or hot melt adhesive - to construct the base and sides of a cup, one layer at a time, over the course of 30 minutes.

The robot uses an aluminum surface for the cup, covered in a thin layer of oil to keep the HMA from sticking too much.

While the cup cools, the robot builds a small bar out of HMA, and then bonds the bar to itself, by melting one end and pressing against it.

Then the robot attaches the other end of the bar to the cup, and it ends up with its own water-bucket.

According to Spectrum, the researchers dream about a robot that can adaptively extend its body how and when it deems fit, and also suggest these kind of techniques could be used to create robots that can repair themselves, increase their own size and functionality, or even construct other robots.

An optimist might see this as making life easier for humans, who can relax while robots take care of us as dreamed of by Isaac Asimov. A pessimist might see this as the rise of a Terminator-like future.

Only time will tell.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2148000/Scientists-build-robot-design-tools.html#ixzz1vhVJjwRj